


Nobody is Here to Save You

by shipperman



Category: The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Drabble Collection, Everything is sad AU, F/F, F/M, M/M, One sided Brenda/Teresa, One sided Teresa/Thomas...kind of, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-02-28 16:10:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 50
Words: 8,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2738702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipperman/pseuds/shipperman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe life isn't supposed to have a happy ending, after all. That doesn't stop them. It does starts with an accident that could have been avoided. (or, everything is shit, but in modern times)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Newt

**Author's Note:**

> Everything-is-sad Modern AU. Several parallel timelines happening independently, each one following it's own chronology. They happen around the same time, but not in the exact same day/hour.

Alby saw him on the ledge again.

It was the third time in that same week. The third time that Newt dragged himself, half-asleep, and sat at the window. His legs dangling over the traffic. His face, in a numbness expression. Like he doesn’t feel anything again.

Alby’s voice was the only thing that got to him. Not the idea of falling, not the pain, not death, not anything else. Alby. It was like he was the only thing that mattered.

After that, they both sat on the couch, on a mess of limbs, tangled, and heavy breathing.

Newt is falling apart inside, but Alby can’t stop that.


	2. Alby

Minho is the number one on his fast dial. He picks it up at the first tone.

“Hey?” he asks, unsure

“Hey” Alby’s voice is muffled, like he was crying.

“Is everything okay?”

“It’s Newt. I think…’ he takes a deep breath, gathering courage “I think he’ll try to hurt himself again”

“What happened?” he sounds worried, like all the times before.

“The same things. I think he is getting worse now” it pains him to say those words, but he has to.

“Do you need anything?”

“I need a friend”

“I’ll meet you there in ten minutes” Minho promises as he hangs up.

Alby stares at the phone as Minho’s name fade. He puts on his coat and closes the door after him. He doesn’t like to leave Newt alone, but sometimes it’s the only thing keeping him sane.


	3. Thomas

“I’m going out” Minho calls out.

Thomas looks up from his computer, where he is in the last three hours, trying different concepts for an amusement park “Where?” he rubles his temples, tired.

“Alby needs me”

“Is Newt okay?” they know it’s about him. It’s always about him.

“I think so. But he needs a friend, so I’m going over to the café” he puts on his coat and gloves. “I won’t be back late”

“Okay” Thomas says and goes back to the screen.

He has to finish it by tonight or else he won’t have time to print the drawing before the meeting.

He is drawing the head of a giant cat when he sees the sign: _Teresa is online_.


	4. Thomas

Thomas smirks at the screen. It’s been months since he last saw Teresa, and since then, they haven’t even seen each other online.

She talks about how much work she has on the new decorator business she is running, and how she can tell two shades of blue paint by smell. He laughs. He says how much fun is his new job and how he is working on this new amusement park in development, and how insanely hard is to design thematic places.

 _It feels like college was yesterday_ she types _we were so stupid_

 _Yes we were. Remember how we use to get drunk on the roof?_ He laughs as he sends the message.

 _And then we’d make out :)_ he watches in silent as the words form in his screen _I miss that_

 _Getting drunk?_ He tries, just out of habit. It’s been a while he is running away from this.

_Us._


	5. Brenda

“Ugh” Brenda grunts “Are you going to spend the whole afternoon there?” she complains, from the couch “I thought we were seeing a movie!”

“I just needed to check something on Facebook real quick” she turns the computer off without saying goodbye to anyone “I’m good, let’s do this”

She jumps on the couch with Brenda, with a red bowl half-filled with popcorns sits between them.

“Ok, be prepared to be amazed” Brenda smirks as she reaches for the remote.

“What movie is it again?” Teresa shifts on the couch, trying to get more comfortable.

“ _Friends With Benefits”_ she replies, hoping it didn’t look too obvious how closely she chose the movie “You’re going to love Timberlake!” she promises, suddenly very aware of her stupid mistake.

“He better be a sex god, because you have been asking for this movie for _ages”_ Teresa keeps pretending she doesn’t see it. But she isn’t blind.


	6. Thomas

_Us. Us. Us. I miss us._

The words keep circling in his head, over and over and over again.

He looks again at the screen. _Teresa Agnes is offline._ It doesn’t stop anything.

He hates how it feels. And he hates the warm feeling on this stomach when he thinks of her. He hates that he still remembers the smell of her perfume, he hates that he thinks of her slim body over his, while the dorm room floor is covered in bottles.

He hates all of that. And he hates that that is the image he has of Teresa.

He tries to focus on her impatience, on her stubbornness, on her mood swings, but he can’t. He can only remember the good part.

He closes the laptop and stands up, going to the window, looking over at the grey city. By his side there is a framed picture of him and Minho at their last vacation in Hawaii. He looks at that for a minute. Then goes back to the computer. He was work to do


	7. Minho

Alby sit by the window, hoping to see Minho before he enters the coffee shop. But he is too deep in his own thoughts to see the world outside of his mind. He doesn’t see Minho getting in, or standing in line for a coffee, or sitting at his table.

“Okay, what is the deal?” he asks, pulling Alby out of his thoughts.

“Newt is bad. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know why he is like that, I just wished I could help him somehow. But it looks like I can only make it worse” he say all at once, surprising himself with his honesty.

“It’s not your fault” Minho takes a sip of coffee “Depression doesn’t always have a reason. You know you are the only thing keeping him in one piece, don’t you know?” he assures his friend.

Alby nods, feeling sad. He doesn’t like to see his boyfriend like that. But he can’t avoid. Sometimes he wishes Newt would do something to get out of that numbness. He knows Newt is strong enough to fight that. He just has to find the right weapons.


	8. Minho

Thomas is asleep over his computer when Minho gets home. It’s not even ten o-clock yet.

“Bed” Thomas mutters when Minho tries to wake him up.

“Yes, yes, bed,” he half-carries a mostly asleep Thomas to bed, where he lays before even undressing.

Thomas lay down and his phone vibrates by his side. Teresa’s name shines on the screen. It’s been a long while since Thomas and Teresa last saw each other. And maybe she just wants to talk to him, for the sake of old times.

(Like that one time where she got him drunk and kissed him.)

Minho ignores it. It doesn’t mean anything. He is just sleeping.

However, the ghost of Teresa had been always around him. Her connection with Thomas is undeniable. He tries to look past that.


	9. Thomas

He is running over and over. He can hear her voice in his head. _Find me Thomas, find me. Come find me. Come find me._ Echoing until it turns nothing but a distant humming.

He is alone in the dark. And he is scared. He knows the only thing that will make everything right is Teresa. So he runs to her. He keeps running, trying to find her, but he can’t. He has no idea where to go.

The floor beneath him shakes and the sounding is loud enough to make him deaf. Everything is falling apart.

He finally sees her. A pale and still body, crushed and bloody. He knows it's too late. He crawls over the wreckage, to her. _I’m sorry_ he put her head with the long black hair on his lap _Forgive me, Teresa, please._

He wakes up screaming. Minho holds him.


	10. Aris

Aris scrolls through her email, copying anyone that sounds familiar or that has sent any recent messages. He looks over his shoulder again, to make sure she is not coming. He can still hear the shower.

_Mary. Ruth. Rebecca. Teresa. Frances. Sarah._ The sorority girls who she is still kind of friends with. Aris doesn’t remember even half of them, but it doesn’t matter.

As soon as he hears the shower turning off, he quickly closes the window and jump on the couch, turns the volume up, and pretend that he wasn’t doing anything at all.

She passes on his back, singing some showtune about a mountain or something, belting like crazy. She doesn’t look at him twice.


	11. Gally

He sits in his chair, moving nervously, because he wants to speak, but can’t. It’s rude to interrupt other people’s presentation, so he keeps it to himself. In the meantime, he takes notes and little points that he needs to change.

“Anything?” Thomas asks, as he finishes his presentation.

Gally looks at Mr. Janson, who nods, indicating that he can say whatever he wants. “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen” he said, harshly.

“I’m sorry?” Thomas sounds offended. If it was silent enough, they could hear Thomas’ heart breaking in a million pieces, because of his hard work.

“Are you kidding, right? Half of these things are nearly impossible, and the other half would cost and absurd amount of money.” He waves the piece of paper he was writing, filled with bullet points.

“But I thought you were here to-“

“I’m and engineer, not a magician. You have to fix the project” he leans back on the chair.

He hates to be this arrogant, but this is the only way they will respect him. He knows.


	12. Chuck

“Mr. Thomas, do you need anything?” he asks for the fourth time in the last hour. “I printed the early sketches and the concept drawings, if you need them” He offers a handful of papers.

Thomas grunts and takes the files. “Thank you” he hates re-planning.

“Do you need any coffee? Do you need sweets or anything? I can go get it or you”

“No, Chuck, I’m fine, thanks” he turns back to his project.

Chuck leaves and sits at his desk, right by Thomas’ door. He has to wait until Thomas come out and goes home, and even though the whole office is empty, he stays, loyal.

Thomas is surprised to see Chuck at his desk, forty minutes later “Are you still here?” he asks, trying to not sound too harsh. He remembers Ava advice. “Hey, want to grab a drink or something?”

Chuck’s smile is so big that the question goes unanswered.


	13. Frypan

It’s a slow night. In the bar there is only a few couples, and a guy who looks barely legal. But he doesn’t care, so he just keep making his drinks.

“One more” the other guy asks. He is already pretty drunk, but Frypan makes the drink anyway. It’s his job.

Fifteen minutes later, he is by the bathroom door, as that same guy vomits so loud that probably the whole bar can hear it. The younger boy looks completely clueless.

“Don’t worry, kid, I handle with these everyday” he assures the boy. The bartender knocks on the door “Are you ok there?”

“Yes” the voice is muffled

Frypan opens the door and brings him a glass of water “Come on, it will make you feel better.”

The last time he sees both of them is when he forces the drunk into a cab. _I’m not nursing anybody else’s drunk ass tonight_ , he promises himself. _Except, maybe mine._

He fixes himself a drink when nobody is looking.


	14. Minho

He is startled by the sound of people waking inside. He walks, carefully, until he sees Thomas being half-carried by someone he doesn’t know. The boy introduces himself as Thomas assistant. They drag him to the shower. The boy goes away before he can even thank him. Thomas usually tells if he is going out after work.

Thomas sits on the shower, fully clothed and mumbling words that don’t make sense. He talks about murdering that rude engineer and more words out of context. Minho is jealous enough to keep an ear out to see if he hears anything about Teresa. But nothing.

It’s not until the morning after, when he is running on the gym that he wonders who was with Thomas at the bar. He hates to be jealous and doubt him, but he has one guess.


	15. Sonya

“That’s a big list” she complains, as she looks through the paper “You certainly proved yourself useful”

“Thank you”

“I don’t know half of these people. Oh, I know she _hates_ Mary. If you invite her, you might as well just cancel the whole thing”

“But they were emailing last week!”

“Did you read the emails?” she raised and eyebrow

“No” he frowned “But it thought that it was going a little too far”

“Decent” she noted. “Ok, I think this will be enough. Top or bottom half?”

“Top” he ripped the list in two “Always top” and gave the rest or her.

She spent the rest of the evening working on a default email. It proved a harder than expected task.


	16. Teresa

She finds in her inbox an email, with an address she barely recognizes. It’s from a girl from her sorority, someone who she barely talked at all.

But she promised, so she has to go.

“Want to join me?” she asks, out loud, as Brenda is in the kitchen, making dinner.

“What?”

“Be my plus one. A sorority thing” she explains. “This Friday, yes or no?”

“I’ll have to see it…” Brenda puts the pan in the oven.

“As if you were going to find anything better than me…” she jokes.

_Oh, it’s been a while since we last talked. I barely remember the girls, but this will be an opportunity to catch up; of course I’ll be there. You can count on me. And I’m taking a guest, it’s not a problem, right?_

_Thank you_

_-T_


	17. Rachel

She walks in her apartment at night in silence. She knows it. Of course she does. Aris is good at keeping secrets, but Beth, with a little push, always ends up telling it all.

So when everyone screams Happy Birthday, she puts on her best surprised face. Everyone is there. Incluiding people she thought that she would never see again. But most of all, are the sorority girls. All of them. She smiles.

After college, they went separate ways, but always promised to get back together again. Apparently, this was that time.

Aris was the first in line to hug her “We didn’t convice you at all, right?” he whispered in her ear, as they hugged.

“Not a bit” she gracefully laughed, and kissed him on the cheek “But thank you anyway”


	18. Sonya

Everything is going well and pink. Rachel is laughing and having drinks. Sonya couldn’t be happier. Harriet tells a long and adventurous history of her first day of work, while the girls listen, closely.

She doesn’t hear her phone the first time. Or the second.

She only checks it close to midnight. Six missed calls from her brother, plus a handful of texts.

_You need to come over. Now._

_It’s important, come!_

_Where are you?_

_Sonya? It’s him!_

_Sonya???????????_

_Where are you? Come!_

_I can’t do this over the phone._

_You have to come. Now._

_Well, I guess you’re busy. Come find us at the st w hospital when you can._


	19. Alby

He was the one that saw it happen. As he many times predicted. But he got in the room too late, he barely saw the boy jumping. He ran to the window anyway. He saw Newt’s pale body on the sidewalk. It was the middle of afternoon, and nobody else was on the street.

He doesn’t even remember how he made his way to the phone. He doesn’t remember calling 911 at all. When the paramedics arrived, he walked down. Just three floors. _But it could kill him._ That little voice kept repeting on his head over and over and over again. _It could kill him. He might as well be dead right now._

He was in the ambulance with Newt, but he couldn’t touch him. He couldn’t bring himself to even hold his hand. He couldn’t say it would all be okay. But he was there. In silent. Watching everything.

Ever since.


	20. Minho

He sits in the hospital lobby. Thomas is by his side, impatient. They’ve been here for a few hours, but no one tells them anything. Alby doesn’t say a word. He just stare at the floor, in a painful numbness. MInho went back to Alby and Newt’s apartment, locked it up and grabbed Newt’s phone. He’s been texting Sonya ever since.

When she makes it to the hospital, it’s the first time Alby reacts to something. When he sees her, he cries. He can’t look at her. They hug each other, and the silent tears come down both of their faces.

“I’m sorry” he can hear Alby’s voice sounding more like a whisper “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry” over and over again

Sonya tells him it’s okay, and hugs him tighter. But it doesn’t feel okay.


	21. Jeff

He looks down at his notes. The man on the bed is pale and still. But he is getting better. The machines beeping loud and constant assure that. But the patient is asleep, and he can’t know how damaged he will be when he wakes up.

_This is the hardest part,_ he thinks, as he fixes his lab coat. He checks the name once more, to make sure he won’t say it wrong. As he crosses the door, all the eyes turn to him. Everyone is expecting.

There is a group of people in their twenties, he heads there. Everyone has the same expression. A mix of expectation and fear. It feels like the time stop.

“For Newt, right?” he asks, and several people nod to him “Okay. He is asleep now, but he’ll be fine” as he says, he almost feel the collective breath that everyone was unconsciously holding. “Until he wakes up, we don’t know about the damages, but he’ll live” he assures them.

He sees relief in each face.


	22. Harriet

She was worried.  Staring at the ceiling while laying in bed, it only gave her too much time to think. Sonya called her to say that something had come up with her brother and she had to be with him. Is secret to no one that Newt and Sonya aren’t the best of friends, so if she _had_ to be with him, something serious was going on. She didn’t had the guts to call her again.

She shifted on her bed, uncomfortable, so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t even noticed that he had stood up, until she reached the other side of the bed and found it empty.

She sat on the bed to find him putting on his pants. He looked back at her and gave a side smile. “I’ll find my way out, don’t worry” he put on his shirt.

She laid again. At least this was a good one. Pity she didn’t even remembered his name.

(Even though he has said repeatedly during the night. _Winston_ ).


	23. Chuck

He was the one that noticed that Thomas was not okay. Mostly, because he was quiet. Really quiet.

Chuck had worked with Thomas for only two weeks, but he knew that the man couldn’t shut up. He was always talking, and interrupting people, or even talking to himself.

“Are you okay, sir?” Chuck asks, as he grabs a file from Thomas.

“Not really, no he replies, his face sinking into his hands.

“What happened?”

“Everything is falling apart” he says without moving

“How so?”

“My friend hurt himself, my ex-girlfriend said something that I can’t stop thinking about and my boyfriend is acting weird”

Nobody speaks for a minute. “Is there anything I can do for you?” Chuck finally breaks the silence.

“No, but thanks” As Chuck prepares to leave, Thomas has a bad idea. “Wait, there is something”


	24. Rachel

“Hey, sweetie, I’m home” she yells as soon as she crosses the door. Tossing her keys in the table, taking her shoes off, she runs to the kitchen. There is still some birthday cake left.

“Well, someone is looking to get fat” he jokes, laying on the couch, staring at her.

“Someone is getting his pretty and big nose into other people’s business” she smiles and sit on his legs.

“Someone is only caring about the people he loves”

“Someone is feeling pretty lonely, I can bet”

“Yes, rub it on my face” Aris throws her on the ground. “Want to do anything tonight?”

“Are you inviting?”

“Are you paying?”

“Yes” she laughs.

“Then yes” he offers a hand to help her to stand up “What do you want to do?”

“Dancing?”

“Bowling?” he suggests

“Again?”

“I’m good at it!” he brags “Besides, it’s a cool place”

Of course it’s the place. “Sure” she lick the frosting of her fingers “Let me just shower” halfway there, she screams: “But no more flirting with the cute waitress” she hears he grunts and complain about how much she ruins his life


	25. Beth

She walks through the tables at the back of the place. She never goes into the bowling area, because she is too clumsy for that. The last time she dropped a giant juice on someone’s lap. Her colleagues do the courtesy of waiting those tables.

But every now and then she decides to work on the bowling area. Coincidentally those times are also when a guy and his girl friend play all night long, and keep cheering loudly.

In the minute someone points that out, Beth pouts and says it’s not like that. But she keeps smiling when she sees them entering. And she doesn’t smile that often.


	26. Alby

He is the first one to walk into the room and see Newt’s pale face on the bed. He has bruises all over and a broken arm. He is asleep, and the bags under his eyes are dark and menacing. He wonders what was going through Newt’s head to force him to do it. He doesn’t think it will ever be clear.

Alby sits on his chair, looking, in silence. In a little more than an hour Minho comes and goes. Thomas comes and goes. Sonya comes and goes. He stays there during the whole time, still and silent, like a shadow.

However it’s when they are alone that Newt opens his eyes. When he sees Alby he only has one thing to say. It’s muttered, sounding painful and regretful.

_“I’m sorry”_


	27. Minho

“Have you hang out with Teresa?” Minho asks, without making any excuses, making Thomas’ fork stop halfway through his mouth.

“No” he said, decidedly, before putting his hand down. “Why you ask?”

“She called you when you got home drunk” Minho says, finally spilling everything he was thinking for several days prior “And I thought that maybe you were out drinking _with_ her and she called to see if you were alright”

“I wasn’t” Thomas replies, but doesn’t elaborate on that.

“Then why didn’t you called?”

“I only realized when I was too drunk.”

“Okay” Minho nods, proud of himself.

“But I talked to her” Thomas says, after a while. “She said she want to meet me. I think she wants to get back” he says that last part as if is a big confession and he might regret it.

“Do you?”

“I love you, dumbass” Thomas smiles at Minho, and both of them are okay with that.


	28. Winston

He smiles at a random girl on the line. She seems kind of familiar, and he wonders if he has already been on her bed. (He only follow one rule, and that’s not to be with the same girl twice) and he considers hanging out somewhere else.

Before he can enter the club, someone stops him. A blond guy twice his size is standing by the door, looking professional in a black suit and sunglasses.

“You can’t get in” he says, voice deep and without a hint of emotion.

“Why not?”

“It’s a VIP party only”

“What if I bought you a beer?” he offers, leaning and smiling.

The guy barely looks down, before replying in a bored tone. “If you are trying to bribe me, offer a car”

“Okay then. A car” The security is shocked for a minute, confused of what is happening. “I’ll buy you a car, but only if you quit right now and come and drink with me”.

The guy looks confused and ignores him. However, he does let Winston in.

He smiles as the bright lights hit his face.


	29. Teresa

She sits in the hospital lobby, holding a hot cup of coffee. Minho sits by her side, (she managed to hide her shock when he did so), and Thomas is sleeping on a chair near them. He has been there since morning.

“You can go home if you want” Minho offers her, looking straight into her eyes. “You’ve been here for a long time. You should take a time off.”

She considers for a second, and then nods. “Okay” she finishes her drink in a long gulp. “I’ll check in on Alby” she promises, standing up. “And I’ll come back later”

Her phone rings and she picks up. Brenda wants to know if she want to hang out tonight, or if she has any other plans. Teresa mumbles something about being in the hospital again, and Brenda’s silence is respectful.

_“I’ll see you later, then”_ she hears Brenda’s voice being drowned by an excited scream, a voice she doesn’t know.

Teresa furrows her eyebrows, trying to remember who that was. Can’t remember.

They had been best friends and roommates for two years now, and for the first time, she kind of wanted Brenda to be there waiting for her when she get home.

Her heart warms at the image. (Although she knows it won’t happen, at least that day).


	30. Newt

He hates that everyone is around him, like he is a toddler. He hates that he can barely move his legs, because of the cast. He hates that even breathing makes his chest ache. He hates the smell of that hospital room, and the sight from his window, too high for his taste. He hates that Alby is there, holding his hand, but never speaking a word. He hates a lot of things.

But he doesn’t complain about any of them.

He knows that he is causing too much trouble already.

So he takes his pill and swallow his complaints.


	31. Harriet

The red dress makes her feel uncomfortable, too tight, too short and too shiny, but it’s undeniable that she looks _smoking hot._ At least that’s what she been told several times. And that night she definitely needs a stranger’s lips in order to clear her head.

Ever since Newt and that jump, everyone around her froze in time, waiting for what would come out of it. She spent so much time with Sonya on the hospital that she became almost-friends with Alby. She thinks that it’s because he has no one else to talk to. She doesn’t mind. (it’s the only use she been giving to her psychology degree)

But the girls invited her to a night out, and she decided to go. A lot had been going on, and she could use a couple of hours dancing to the beat, ignoring the mess inside her head.

On second thought, she could spread that feeling. An idea, unlikely one, creeps up on her head. It’s a long shot, but she tries anyway.

She punches his phone number.


	32. Zart

The guy comes up a few times more. And he keeps offering money, although Zart has stopped trying not letting him in. _Perhaps he just like to rub his money on people’s face_ , Zart decides.

But it has been a long day, and his boss put him on a double shift, and refuse to pay for his full extra hours. And he is so done with it, that the club is way over it’s maximum capacity, but he doesn’t care. _I am not paid enough to care about this shit,_ it’s the only thing playing in his mind over and over.

In that particular night, he is tempted to say yes.

“Not tonight either?” The guy asks, smiling at him. “You’re a tough guy. What do you want from me?”

“A better job” he mumbles, and is surprised when the guy answers back:

“Hired! You’re my personal security now”

Zart has one last though before he rips out the earpiece: _Fuck it._


	33. Jorge

He thinks it’s kind of endearing, how all of them, looking all uncomfortable in their fancy clothing, are waiting for him. Every time his secretary quits, he have to find a new one, and the hunt begins again. It gets tiring.

By the time he is ready to call the first name, the elevator opens again. A girl, similar to the ones already sitting, comes down running. She has her jacket in her hand, a broken heel, and hair all disheveled, and the eyes of someone who is ready to kill a man.

“I’m sorry, I’m late. The fucker cab drive charged me twice as much and refused to give me my change, and I broke my heel running after him, and then my jacket got splashed with mud from a fucking truck in the middle of the city, so this day has been chaotic” she says to no one in particular. He smiles.

There may be someone not boring after all.


	34. Harriet

“We’re going to the Map Room” she says to Alby “You should come, it would make you some good to leave this place a bit.” She tries to convince him, although she knows that are very little chances he will actually do it.

“My boyfriend is in a hospital because he tried to kill himself. I don’t need to party, I need to understand what is happening” he mutters on the phone

“Then call me if you need me” she says and grabs her purse “It’s not your fault, Alby” she uses her kindest tone. “You’re a good guy. Don’t be sad on things you can’t avoid” and she knows it’s useless to make him feel better.

Frances is the one picking her up, waiting in the red car. They hug, as if they hadn’t seen each other in years and years.

“To the Map Room!” Frances shouts to the night and drives.

They are surprised that there is no line. They aren’t surprised to see the club too crowded.

They decide to go in anyhow.


	35. Minho

He hates the taste of hospital food, but in the current situation, he doesn’t have much of a choice. He is the one spending the night, after he forced Alby to go home and have a decent night of sleep and a proper meal. The guy had been sitting besides Newt’s bed ever since he woke up, a night before.

But now, Minho is the one watching as the machines beep. He doesn’t have much to say, which is a good thing, because Newt spends most of his time sleeping, or too drugged to make sense of anything.

The doctor comes in every now and then, but doesn’t say anything alarming, and Minho supposes that it’s a good thing.

It’s already morning when his phone rings.

“Hey” he whispers, not wanting to wake up Newt.

“Hey” Thomas whispers from the other side. “Do you know what kind of flowers Newt likes?”

Minho is surprised. “You’re getting _him_ flowers?” he asks, “You never got _me_ flowers” he says, bitterly.

“You never been in a cold and empty hospital room” he says, “I wanted to give something nice, besides the ‘Get Better’ balloon” he explains.

“I think daisies” Minho suggests, smiling at the image of Thomas in a flower shop.


	36. Winston

It’s like the first day of freedom after a lifetime in jail. The driver goes as fast as the car can, not caring about tickets, cops or pedestrians. It’s a sense of liberty that he hasn’t experience in a long time. And the guy besides him seems even more excited about it all. An considering the shitty job he used to have, he wouldn’t doubt it.

“Where do you want to go, sir?” he asks, almost shouting, because the wind is too loud for him to speak normally, and slowing down it’s not an option.

“Fucking Scorch or something!” he shouts back, excited.

“Then Scorch it is!” the man shouts back.

Only then he realizes that they haven even told each other their names. They are shouting into the night, driving so fast that they could be flying, and yet don’t know how to call each other.

He places a hand on the man’s shoulder “How is your name again?” he asks, shouting into the other’s ear.

“ZART!” she shouts.

“I’m Winston!” he shouts too. Both of them smile.

As the Scorch in front of them grows, he starts to forget his worries, at least for a while. He’ll leave his work for later. For now, he has a choice of redemption.


	37. Brenda

“I GOT A FUCKING JOB!” she screams, as loud as she can, as soon as she opens the door. “TERESA, POP THE FUCKING CHAMPAGNE BECAUSE YOUR ROOMATE CAN FINALLY PAY HER SHARE OF THE FUCKING RENT” 

Teresa comes from the kitchen, looking mildly scared, but she is smiling. “Congratulations!” she claps “But I don’t think we have any champagne. Some soda will do?”.

“I’ll toast with freaking water, but we have to celebrate it” she throws her bag in the couch, and then takes off the one shoe she is wearing.

“You only have one shoe? What the hell happened?” Teresa leans on the wall, curious. “That has got to be an amazing story”

“And I will tell you, with all details, over a bottle of champagne”

“…soda” Teresa corrects, going to the kitchen again.

“Fuck, soda then” she sits on the couch.

Teresa comes back with two glasses and a can of Sprite. She pours it and offers one to Brenda.

“To professional success!” she raises her glass.

“To money!” Brenda raises hers.


	38. Thomas

The balloon was definitely a nice idea, not very original, but good nonetheless. It seemed to made Newt happier, although he didn’t say anything about it.

Whenever anyone came to visit him, he just shrink on his bed, like he was trying to disappear between the pillows. He was so skinny and so pale that it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if he managed to do it.

“How are you feeling, man?” he always asks, sitting by the foot of the bed.

“Better” he nods, slowly. The food on the tray hasn’t been touched, and Thomas worries. He knows that there are tons of people surrounding him, making sure he isn’t hurting himself even more, but his mind still worries.

“You have to get better okay” he gently puts his hand over the cast on Newt’s leg.

“I promise I will” he says, but doesn’t seem very excited about it. “I just need some time to rebuild myself”

“How about we start by eating?” he asks, pointing at the tray.

The twist of the mouth is very sly and quick, but he notices. Newt gets the tray and starts, bite by bite, slowly.

Maybe it’s his mind playing tricks, but anyway, he tells the nurse that Newt isn’t eating properly, and if she could check it out.

Doesn’t matter how hard he tries, he worries.


	39. Jeff

“He has shown no growth,” he says, almost whispering, by the door. Thankfully, the ones receiving the news aren’t the catatonic boyfriend or the sentimental sister, because he isn’t sure he could handle any of them, especially together. “He barely eats, he doesn’t talk, and even though his visiting hours are filled with guests, his mood is always in the same deep pit”

“What does that mean?” the Asian one asks. Out of everyone, he seems the most reasonable, and probably the last one to breakdown, case bad news come. “What should we do to him?”

“A psychiatrist” he says, simply. He was surprised to know that Newt wasn’t being treated. “Suicide attempts are usually connected with depression or other disorders. Before healing his bones, we have to heal his mind, otherwise it’s all in vain, because next time, he might succeed” perhaps he went a little bit too far. But if he doesn’t shock them, nothing will happen.

“He isn’t depressed” the other one corrects, “He is just going through a bad phase.”

Jeff almost lies. “That bad phase is called depression” he corrects, in a tone to end the subject. "I am no specialist, but I do think you should get one, to at least talk to him. Trust me, the broken legs and ribs are the easy to fix”

He leaves before they have time to form a reply. He doesn’t like to listen the mourns of the family. Especially when it is a hard case.

He is glad to hear his name being called to the ER in an emergency.


	40. Alby

“I don’t want to see him in a clinic” he says, almost in tears, and nobody dares to talk back to Alby.

Minho mutters under his breath, but Alby it’s too busy to care. He feels Sonya’s arms holding him, and it feels kind of comfortable, in a peaceful way. He imagines if Newt will ever feel like this.

“I don’t either” she whispers, in his ear, like it’s their own private secret. “But we don’t have much choice, do we?”

He had been visiting the psychologist for over a year. Lately, (before the window incident, obviously), he seemed to be getting better, and Alby though that, for once, they would have a shot at being okay again. It seems that he was wrong all along.

“What the doctor said?” he asks again, looking at Minho, who explains for the fifth time: not eating, not talking, needs psychiatric help. He doesn’t doubt it. 

“Please, Alby” Sonya begs.

“I should go talk to him” he stands up, very slowly, as if to someone to stop him. When no one does, he offers a hand to Sonya. “You should come with me” she presses her fingers in his, and they walk together.


	41. Aris

“You’re gonna ask her out, or just keep staring like a creep the whole night?” Rachel asks, and he almost chokes on his drink.

Because, yes, he has been staring at the cute waitress all night, specially when she looks back at him. And yes, Rachel is right, he should say something. However, in the minute he stands up to talk to her, he forgets every word in the English language. Still, he bravely walks up to her, standing behind the counter, neatly organizing cups on a tray. 

“Do you need something?” she asks, and he panicks completely.

“YOURTELEPHONENUMBER” he shouts without pause, and immediately feels his face turning hot. 

“What?” she asks, putting the tray down, and looking around, because his screams certainly startled the people around them.

“You asked me” he starts again, very slowly, and heavy breathing “If I needed something else” he pauses, looking at her “and then I said I need you phone number” he finishes, exhaling, “because I need to phone you so we can set up a date. So we can go on a date. I am inviting you out on a date” he explains.

She laughs, and he is so nervous that laughs with her. She slips a piece of paper with her phone on it before she blows him a kiss and leaves holding her tray.

His heart nearly stops, but he manages to walk back to the table, where Rachel is the only one in the place giving a standing ovation.


	42. Clint

“How are you feeling, Newt?” he sits by the bed. It’s their first appointment

“Like a truck ran over me, and I don’t have any desire to get up”

“I’ll let you know what is gonna happen next. You have to take some medication. It is quite strong, I’ll warn you. And the first days will be rough. But you have to be strong and fight it.”

“I don’t want to fight anything. Kind of the point of jumping out of a window.”

Clint waits for a moment, not speaking. _Depression. Suicidal inclination._ He writes in the file, and is surprised that his case was untreated. “Then I want you to think about everything going around you. Your life, your job, your friends. And I want you to consider everything. From your happiness to the void you’d left. And then I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon and I’ll offer you the same thing. If you still say no, then we’ll try something else. Okay?” the reply is a whisper, but he agrees.

As Clint leaves he room, he is worried. Suicide attempts hits too close to home, and he doesn’t like the job getting personal. (And there is always the feeling of _what if I had been there to stop him?!)_.

He tries to leave the case behind, but it doesn’t always work.


	43. Zart

This feel stupid, but at least he is having fun. He is driving through the desert, and can taste the sand in his mouth, but the wind in his hair and the blood rushing make everything worth.

“Now turn left after that dune!” Winston screams on the front seat, as he struggles with the maps. “Fuck I meant right TURN RIGHT NOW” he is pointing outside the window.

The other jeep right beside them comes very close, trying to pass them.

“NOT ON MY WATCH, ASSHOLES” Zart screams as he pushes the gas even further, and feels the jeep trembling beneath him. Still, he lets them behind. “How long until the end of the run?” he asks without looking away from the road.

“About five minutes” he turns the map upside down “It’s just a few more, than one left and straight line until the end” 

Zart looks in the rearview mirror and see the other jeeps as dots in the sand. It’s obvious they are going to win. “Two amateurs winning the fuck Scorch Run” he laughs again “How is that for you, LOSERS?” he screams, not to anyone in particular.

For the first time in years, he has fun working.


	44. Jorge

He is sitting behind his table when Brenda comes in with a fresh bottle of coffee. In a week she did more than many of his previous secretaries did in a month. Including tackling the now-alphabetized archive and organizing it for perhaps the first time since its creation. He likes her already.

“You can go early today” he says to her, not looking away from the report he is reading. “You are a hard worker, and you should go out and celebrate your first week of work”.

“Thank you, sir” she replies and he looks up fast enough to see her smiling before leaving the room.

He turns back to the report. It came with a note attached, from Ms. Paige, asking him to give her an urgent response, until the end of the weekend. He still is not ready to give her the answer she wants to hear, so he closes the folder and drops it on the table.

He smiles looking at the coffee bottle, and appreciates that she doesn’t need to dictate every single movement to be made.

_She’s a genius, that one_ he thinks to himself, as he pours a cup of coffee.


	45. Brenda

“Meet me at the bar” she screams at the phone, trying to talk over the sound of the subway. “Tonight we are celebrating. AND I’M BUYING!”

She had been unemployed for a while, and during that time Teresa was absolutely loyal to her, making her small paycheck enough to feed the house. Now, it was her time to be the one paying.

“I am so glad you could make it” she smiles as Teresa sits at the her side. “My boss let me leave early today, to celebrate my first week.” It’s not even 3PM but Brenda is already drunk. “Fuck, it’s Friday. Let’s drink one round more”

After the bar they go to some clubs. One, two and by the third, Brenda has already kissed more people that she can count, and Teresa is frowning by her side.

“Oh, T, don’t worry. My heart still belongs to you” she laughs, and Teresa laughs too.

A new song starts and Brenda drags Teresa to the dance floor, making them dance side by side. Somewhat in the middle, they hold hands, and then Teresa is just too close, too tempting. Brenda doesn’t resist and kiss her.

She pulls back with an apology on the tip of her tongue, that never had time to be used.

This time is Teresa starting the kiss.


	46. Sonya

They had only one more job before the deserved break.

They had been working on this one for quite a long time. There were floorplans and codes going around, many visits to know the place, and even some money to the right people. They had run simulations several times, and everything had been flawless. There wasn’t any way it could go wrong.

She is driving the van, and Harriet is by her side, looking awfully distracted.

“You are worried” she says, not taking her eyes from the road “but we’ve been working on this one for weeks. We can’t fuck it up.”

“I know” Harriet takes a deep breath. “I’m ready, don’t worry. I’ll be fine”

“We’ve got your back, you know it” she parks right in front of the clothing store and holds Harriet’s hand. “Go on, baby. One last time before our vacation” she promises. As soon as they leave the car, she turns back on and drives until the end of the street, make an u-turn and drives back.

She doesn’t see them getting inside the bank. She doesn’t hear the bullet shots. But one minute later, when she is stopping in front of the bank, they come out, all eight of them, with bags full of money.


	47. Thomas

He returns to their apartment, and it looks like a desert place. They haven’t shared a bed in two weeks, because they are alternating between work and hospital. He hasn’t had a decent meal in more time, and his head hasn’t stopped aching since the morning before.

He sits on the couch, turns off the lights and breaths, slowly, waiting for it to go away.

He stays there for an entire hour, barely moving, waiting for the pain miraculously stop.

When it doesn’t, he jumps out. Takes an aspirin, and starts cooking dinner.

 _Can you come home tonight?_ He asks on the phone, while he cuts carrots. _Please? I can’t stand this place alone anymore_

Minho promises he will come.


	48. Winston

As they stand on the podium to receive their medals, Zart looks incredibly happy, even though he has no idea how they ended up in The Scorch.

They did signed up for the Annual Scorch Jeep Run as a joke, and had no idea that winning was a possibility. In the minute that they crossed the finish line, everything else happened like a crazy dream. The cameras, the flashes, and more importantly the money. 

Winston is happy to give all of his share to Zart, because he already has enough for his lifetime, and it is still and underpayment for whatever happens with them.

He sees her in a distance, and feels a chill on his spine. It’s a cruel and constant reminder. He is not fine with it. But it’s far too late to turn back around.

Instead, he looks at Zart who is completely happy. 

Winston too is happy.


	49. Teresa

The light from the window is at a weird angle. Her head weights a ton, her mouth tastes weird, and the floor and ceiling keep changing places every time she blinks. 

She remembers meeting Brenda in the middle of afternoon to get drinks, and she remembers the first two clubs. Everything after that is a blur.

She manages to lean on her elbows and sits on the bed. It takes almost a whole minute until she realizes that she is not in her bed. And that she is still naked. And she is not alone.

She looks to her side and see Brenda opening her eyes and none of them can say a word.


	50. Minho

By the time he is finally home, dinner is already made.

Thomas is sitting by the couch, with a half of a bottle of wine left.

“I was waiting for you” he says “But you took so long that I started drinking by myself”

“I left work late and was supposed to go to the hospital today. Had to call Alby and ask him to go instead.” he sits too, and takes a sip from Thomas’ cup.

Minho is a photographer who spends most of his day in a closed studio with loud music, that by the end of the day are already driving him nuts.

“It’s okay” Thomas smiles and kisses him. “I could have waited a little more”

When Minho kisses back, and holds the back of Thomas’ neck, he forgets about the food in the kitchen or the hunger in his stomach. And he is sure that for a few hours he won’t even care for them.


End file.
